Although
Wes Anderson based his acclaimed animation Fantastic
Mr. Fox on Roald Dahl’s book of the same name, some inspiration
for the roguish fox comes from this masterful film by Ladislas Starewitch, a
pioneer of stop-motion animation. The story draws from classic animal fables:
sometimes Fox’s tricks are harmless, like flattering Crow into dropping his
piece of cheese. Sometimes they are troublesome, like causing Wolf to lose his
tail on a frozen lake. His Majesty the Lion is obligated to listen to his
subject’s complaints, and bring peace to his kingdom. He starts by declaring
that everyone shall become a vegetarian, and then orders punishment for Fox.
Widely considered Starewitch’s most accomplished work, and codirected with his
daughter, it is filled with whimsy, genuinely inventive gags, and a contagious
charm. Released eight months before Disney’s Snow
White, it is the world’s sixth-ever animated feature film. Special
thanks to Léona-Béatrice Martin-Starewicz, the animator’s granddaughter; and
Annabelle Shaw and Andrew Youndell of the British Film Institute.